sfactory. In this act also he will find many sympathizers. Few
things are recalled with more acute mortification than the outfit in
which people leave their early homes, if they are in the country, and
make their first visit to the city. Hundreds of men groan in spirit as
they bring up before themselves the appearance they presented upon that
momentous day. Comparatively few are able to do as Goethe did, and get
rid of the whole vile accoutrement at one stroke. The majority are
obliged, suffer as they may, to wear the obnoxious garments long after
they have discovered their true character. When Goethe had clothed
himself anew he was received with more favor at his boarding-house, and
proceeded immediately to fall in love with the landlady's daughter. The
thought of Gretchen was buried away out of sight, and the thought of
Annette filled his whole heart. This Annette was young, handsome,
sprightly, loving, and agreeable, and he saw her daily in the most
unrestrained manner.

He says of her:--

"But since such connections, the more innocent they are, afford the
less variety in the long run, I was seized with that wicked
distemper which seduces us to derive amusement from the torment of
a beloved one, and to domineer over a girl's devotedness with
wanton and tyrannical caprice. By unfounded and absurd fits of
jealousy I destroyed our most delightful days, both for myself and
her. She endured it for a time with incredible patience, which I
was cruel enough to try to its utmost. But to my shame and despair,
I was at last forced to remark that her heart was alienated from
me, and that I might now have good ground for the madness in which
I had indulged without necessity and without cause. There were
terrible scenes between us, in which I gained nothing; and I then
first felt that I had truly loved her, and could not bear to lose
her. My passion grew and assumed all the forms of which it is
capable under the circumstances; nay, I at last took up the _role_
which the girl had hitherto played. I sought everything possible in
order to be agreeable to her, even to procure her pleasure by means
of others; for I could not renounce the hope of winning her again.
But it was too late. I had lost her really; and the frenzy with
which I revenged my fault upon myself, by assaulting in various
frantic ways my physical nature, in order